Under the previous regime, the New York Jets’ defensive line was the team’s strength. Heading into 2025, it remains one of the biggest question marks.
The leaders of the pack at defensive end for the Jets are Will McDonald and Jermaine Johnson. McDonald, 26, is coming off a career year where he finished with 10.5 sacks. The arrow is pointing in the right direction, heading into year No. 3.
For Johnson, the arrow was pointing in the right direction heading into year No. 3, but it was cut short last year due to a torn Achilles.
There is a good chance that Johnson will begin training camp on the PUP [physically unable to perform] list, but there is optimism that he will be ready for the start of the 2025 season.
Beyond those two players, there are far more questions than answers at defensive end for the Jets.
Jets Have One ‘Proven’ Guy Beyond McDonald and Johnson
All in all, the Jets currently have 10 defensive ends on the roster. Although the Jets coaching staff still hasn’t made it clear what scheme will be their base defense, a 4-3 or a 3-4.
So there is some wiggle room on who will exactly be playing defensive end versus defensive tackle versus standup outside pass rusher.
The most experienced defensive end not named McDonald or Johnson is Micheal Clemons.
Clemons, 27, entered the league as the No. 117 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. During his three years in the NFL, Clemons has appeared in 49 games and has made 18 starts.
He is a polarizing player. Clemons’ unique demeanor and intensity piqued the curiosity of Jets fans when he first joined the team. However, his antics have grown tiresome among the fan base because of questionable penalties, some poor tape, and uneven results.
Calls have grown louder on social media for the Jets to cut Clemons. Despite that noise, that appears unlikely. He is one of the most experienced defensive ends on the team. Plus, last season he racked up 4.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, and started all 17 games, which were all career highs.
Taking a Gander at the Rest of the Jets Defensive End Group
The Jets have three rookies in this group.
Tyler Baron, 23, was the No. 176 overall pick in the fifth round of April’s draft. He played five years of college football, four were spent at Tennessee, and the final one was spent at Miami.
During that collegiate run, he finished with 19 sacks, two forced fumbles, and 39 tackles for loss.
The other rookie was in the undrafted free agent category with Ja’Markis Weston. Gang Green has him listed as a defensive end, but he was a versatile piece in college.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said Weston started “first at wide receiver before he transitioned to safety, linebacker, and then edge rusher.” In addition to those, Weston played on special teams as well.
The last rookie is another undrafted free agent, Michael Fletcher.
“Fletcher (6-6, 260) played in 21 games for Michigan State from 2020-22, totaling 31 tackles, 4 TFL and 3 sacks. He then transferred to Appalachian State, registering 4.5 sacks and 21 tackles during the 2023 season. The Flint, MI native started eight games at defensive end for the Mountaineers last season, tallying 4 sacks and 19 tackles,” Jets senior reporter Eric Allen wrote.
Last year, the Jets added two intriguing undrafted free agents: Eric Watts and Braiden McGregor.
Watts, 24, is a 6-foot-6, 277-pound UConn product. He appeared in 14 games, played 24% of the defensive snaps, but didn’t record impressive stats, failing to get a sack.
McGregor, 24, is also listed at 6-foot-6 and tips the scales at 267 pounds. He appeared in seven games this past season, played in 19% of the defensive snaps, but also failed to record a sack.
Kingsley Jonathan, 27, just arrived at the end of Jets’ mandatory minicamp, signing on June 12. He has been in the league for three years, appearing in 20 games, but never making a start. The former Syracuse product spent the majority of that time with the Jets’ bitter rival, the Buffalo Bills.
Last but certainly not least is veteran Rashad Weaver. Weaver, 27, joined the Jets this offseason in free agency. Weaver made some noise in the spring and has some momentum heading into training camp.
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